Justin Timberlake reveals Lyme disease diagnosis
The singer-songwriter and actor shared the diagnosis with his fans in an Instagram post Thursday that reflected on the end of his two-year Forget Tomorrow World Tour.
"As many of you know, I'm a pretty private person. But as I'm reflecting on the tour and festival tour – I want to tell you a little bit about what's going on with me," Timberlake wrote.
The singer, who shares two sons with his wife Jessica Biel, wrote that he hesitated to share his diagnosis but decided to do so in hopes of being mor transparent with this fans.
"If you've experienced this disease or know someone who has — then you're aware: living with this can be relentlessly debilitating, both mentally and physically," Timberlake wrote. "When I first got the diagnosis I was shocked for sure. But, at least I could understand why I would be onstage and in a massive amount of nerve pain or, just feeling crazy fatigue or sickness. I was faced with a personal decision. Stop touring? Or, keep going and figure it out. I decided the joy that performing brings me far outweighs the fleeting stress my body was feeling. I'm so glad I kept going."
Lyme disease is a tick-borne infectious disease that, if left untreated, can affect the joints, heart and nervous system, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Most cases of Lyme disease can be treated with antibiotics over the course of 10 to 14 days. In some cases, according to the CDC, prolonged symptoms of Lyme disease may persist, including fatigue, body aches and difficulty.
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Timberlake, 44, did not share further details of his diagnosis or treatment.
The former *NSYNC member launched his Forget Tomorrow World Tour in April and performed his final show on Wednesday in Turkey.
In February, Timberlake canceled his final U.S. show of the tour just hours before he was set to take the stage in Columbus, Ohio, telling fans on social media that he was battling the flu.
More recently, Timberlake faced criticisms from fans on the European leg of his tour, who accused him of singing too few of his songs live during his performance, and instead calling on the crowd to sing the lyrics.
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In revealing his Lyme disease diagnosis publicly, Timberlake wrote on social media that he was glad he continued his tour, despite the health struggles he faced.
Not only did I prove my mental tenacity to myself but, I now have so many special moments with all of you that I will never forget," he wrote. "I was reluctant to talk about this because I was always raised to keep something like this to yourself. But I am trying to be more transparent about my struggles so that they aren't misinterpreted.
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